Electrically-controlled releasing means.



I. P. CBANDALL. uscmcnuvnomnomzu RELEASING MEANS.

AFPLICATLON FILED OCT. 30. l9l5- A TTORNEY M r w v. my

PatentedSept. 11, 1917.

JOHN P. CRANDALL,

OF BUFFALO, NEW

YORK.

ELECTRICALLY-CONTROLLED RELEASING MEANS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11, 1917.

Application filed October 30, 1915. Serial No. 58,858.

'1?) all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN P. CRANDALL, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of the city of Buffalo, county of Erie, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ElectricallyControlled Releasing Means, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My device relates generally to releasing means, and more particularly to those means employed in filling machines, where, when a predetermined amount of material has been discharged into a receptacle, which is usually placed upon a scale, the flow of the material is stopped automatically.

In the following description and accompanying drawings, I have shown and described my means'in connection with a can filling machine. This is, however, for illustration only, and it is obvious that my means may be employed in connection with any device where a predetermined amount or weight of liquids or materials are to be handled.

The general object of my invention has been to provide a means which shall be very simple in construction and operation. Moreover, I have sough-t to provide a releasing means which shall be very sensitive, and which shall respond quickly when in operation so that it will accurately measure the desired predetermined quantity.

I have accomplished the above objects and advantages by the device shown in the ac companying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a front elevation of my device when applied to a can filling machine.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, side elevation of my releasing means, showing, in'a diagrammatical manner, the electrical connections.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, side elevation of the contact making means.

In thedrawings, 5 represents the standard or main support of the can filling machine, havili suitable supporting feet 6. 7 is the scale 0? the device, which, in this case, is of the ordinary balancing type. On the pan 8 of the scale is set the receptacle 9, which is to be filled. Directly beneath this pan is arranged the contact making means of my device. These means, preferably comprise a contact arm 10, which is pivotally mounted on a contact rod 11, carried by a block of insulating material 12. This block is secured to any stationary part of the scale, and for convenience, is shown bolted to an upwardly extending arm 13 thereof. The contact arm 10 is provided with an obliquely arranged, upper end 14 and a weighted, downwardly extending end 15. A stop 16 is provided on the block 12. The weighted end 15 keeps the arm in contact with the stop 16 and normally in the position as shown in the drawings. When the scalepan 8 begins to descend, a portion thereof. (in this case the rib 17) comes in contact with the upper end 14 0f the contact arm, thus closing the electrical circuit hereinafterdescribed. As the arm 10 is pivoted, after making contact with the scale pan 8, the end 14 thereofwill be moved downwardly, thus allowing the scale pan to have its full motion,

Carried at the upperend of the support 5 ofv the machine is the liquid valve 18, which is raised through the medium of the operating arm 19." These elements do not form a part of my invention, and therefore need not be further described. 20 is the magnet arm io-f. my machine. carried by some stationary partthereof, and having near its upper end an integral block 21. A permanenbmagnet 22 (preferably comprising a plurality of permanent units) is carried at the upper end of the magnet arm and is secured in any suitable way to the block 21. 23 is the'release arm of my device, which is secured in any suitable way to the valve actuating means or operating arm1-9. At the upper end of this arm is secured an electromagnet 24. This magnet is so arranged that the outer ends of its coreswill contact with the ends of the permanent magnet 22. The terminal at one side of the winding of the electromag'net is grounded to the arm 23, and the other side of the winding is connected with the bindingpost 25, which is insulated from the arm 23.

In carrying out my invention, I make use of the permanent magnet to retain the soft iron cores of the electromagnet in contact therewith, and also make use of the principle by which magnetic poles of like polarity will have a mutual repulsion for each other. A battery 26, preferably of the dry cell type, is secured to the machine in any suitable position, and one terminal thereof is connectedwith the contact rod 11 by a weights on the'weight pan andt wire 27, and the other side of the battery is connected with the binding post 25 by means of a wire 28.

It will be clearly seen that when the parts are in the position shown in the drawings, the electromagnet will be deenergized and the magnetism of the' permanent magnet will hold the clcctromagnet cores in contact with itself, thus keeping the parts of the machine in the position where the discharge valve will be open. The electromagnet is so wound and the battery is so connected that, when energized, the polarity of its cores will be the same as the polarity of the permanent magnet. Thus, it will be seen that when the scale pan descends and contact is made, the battery will energize the electromagnet 24 and cause the poles of like 'polarity'to repel each other. This will counteract the attraction of the permanent mag'net and cause the electromagnet to be forced from it! Just as soon as this 'oocurg'the arm '23 will be released and the descending valve willmove itto the position shown in'dotted lines, thus closing the valve'and shutting off thcfluid. When another receptacle has been placed upon the scale pan; theoperatin arm 19 will be moved again to the position giown in full lines, which againopens thewalve and brings the now denergized blbctromagnet-in contact with the permanent magnet, where it will be held by the magnetism thereof. It will be seen that the consumption of current in the operation of m 'device is very small, because the momentt e'r'eceptacle'is filled and the valve shut 011; the filledreceptacle is immediately removed-{from'the scale pan 8, which is again uickly moved to theposition shown in the rai'vings by the 'e circuit again broken. i A 5 Moreover, while I have shown and dedescribed my-invention -as applied we scale'of the ordinary balancin type, it may bensed with scales of any ot or type with equal efficiency. These and other detailed modifications of the'device herein shown and described may be made without departing from the int of my invention or the scope of the appended claims, and 'I- do not-wish to be limited to the exact embodiment heres in shown and'described'. V

Having thus describ' d my invention, what Iclaimis: I

1.- An electrically controlled releasing means comprising normally open contact making means, a. rigidly mounted, permanent magnet, a movable electromagnet mounted opposite said permanent magnet, a suitable source of electric energy 'mechanir scale part, a rigidly mountedpermanent magnet, a movableelcctroinagnct mounted opposite said permancnt magnet. a suitable source of electric energy, a suitable electric circuit connectingisaid sourced-electric energyysaid electromagnet and said contact making-means'f-said magnets being so arranged that like poles thereof are opposite each other;- and releasing means connected with'a'nd actuated bysaidmovable ma et: a 33 An' ='i'electrichlly controlled releasing means comprising normally open: r-contact making means', a rigidly 'mounted- Ymagnet arm; a permanent magnet carried-vb said arm,- amovable=.releasi arm, an electromagnet g carried liysaid release arm, said magnets beingmounted opposite each other and so arranged that like poles thereof are opposite; each-othemr'a suitable source of =5 'ctr'c energy; and a s'nitable'electric. circuit connecting said source of electric energy, said electromagnetland said contact making means M V- 4a The combination -with a scale of an electrically controlled, releasing 'means,-con'- sisting of normally open contact making means comprising a imovable scale part, a pivotally mounted; oounterweighted, con tact arm located in the-path-of-travcliofi said scale parka-rigidly mounted rmagnet arm, a permanentianag'net carried :by saidarm, a movable release arm, anielectromagnet car ried' by said releasearm; said magnets being mounted oppositezeach other and; so arranged that like poles thereof are opposite each other, a suitable source. oivelectrici. energy, andaz suitable electric; circuit connecting said source 'of electric enei-gy, said electroma'gnet 'and=s'aid contact malnngmeans.

In testimony whereoif, .1: have hereunto signed my name-in-the presence.- of two subscribingzwitnessesi y t JOHN 1P.' CRANDALL. JWitnessesp #1 f i J.WM.ELus,

; :WALTER H. Kunmrw Copies 0! this patent may be obtained {craved cent: eachiiby l ddre sslng the ainland Patents. a ,Waabington,1 .0.. 9-51, 

